Silicone fluids are widely used in toiletry, cosmetic, and personal care formulations. Most frequently used are the dimethicones, the cyclomethicones, and phenyl trimethicone (hereinafter all silicone materials collectively refereed to as “silicones”). Incorporated into a skin care formulation, silicone fluids provide a variety of benefits such as improved slip, reduction of tack, impartation of emolliency, and other modifications of the “feel” characteristics of the formulation, as well as other benefits. Incorporated into hair care formulations such as conditioners, they can reduce wet combing force and increase shine of hair
Silicone fluids have been considered to be particularly useful as they tend to provide the aforementioned benefits without contributing to oiliness or greasiness and give what many consider to be a “dry” skin feel. This attribute is highly desired in toiletry, cosmetic, and other personal care formulations such as creams, lotions, antiperspirants, shaving formulations, and make-up formulations. Additional benefits are that silicones are excellent dispersing and spreading agents, are generally water white in color, low in odor, and are resistant to chemical and oxidative attack. These attributes make them particularly suitable for personal care applications. However, the use of silicones in personal care formulation comes with drawbacks.
For example, there has been concern about the safety of the use of silicone fluids on the skin. In light of potential links between silicone and silicone degradation products to the development of autoimmune system deficiencies in women with silicone breast implants and/or individuals with other disorders, these materials have recently come under higher scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although definitive links have not been confirmed, many cosmetic formulators have acted to attempt to reduce and or eliminate silicone ingredients from formulations. The downside of not using silicones is of course that the skin feel and formulation benefits are lost.
In addition, silicones have also been implicated as potentially being harmful to the environment. For example, Environment Canada has published a documents indicating that dimethiciones are suspected to be environmental toxins and biocumulative.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to identify alternative non-silicone fluids that provide silicone-like benefits in formulation but do not bring with the real or perceived health and environmental risks.
The industry has made efforts to respond to this need. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0260150 describes low viscosity esters that may be used as replacements for low viscosity silicone fluids. United States Patent Application Publication 2004/0241200 describes blends of certain synthetic esters with volatile hydrocarbons that are useful for the replacement of volatile tetramer and pentamer cyclomethicones. United States Patent Application Publication 2009/0123398 describes blends of hydrocarbon fluids useful for the replacement of volatile tetramer and pentamer cyclomethicones. United States Patent Application Publication 2011/0064685 describes personal care compositions comprising an aqueous dispersion comprising a metallocene catalyzed polyolefin and an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer; a cationic polymer; and a least one cosmetically acceptable surfactant, emollient, or cosmetic active, provided that the personal care composition contains less than 0.09 wt % of 15 silicone, and preferably is substantially free of silicone.
As the population becomes more aware of the potential adverse effects to the body and to the environment associated with the use ingredients derived from fossil fuels, the personal care industry has rapidly advanced their search for “natural” ingredients for use in virtually all cosmetic formulation types and forms. Media has driven this growth by popularizing the idea that there may be potential adverse effects to the body and to the environment associated with the use ingredients derived from fossil fuels. The personal care industry has rapidly advanced its attempts to identify “natural” ingredients for use in virtually all cosmetic product types and forms. Notably, although used in marketing materials, the term “natural” has not yet been clearly defined within this context; efforts are under way by industry trade organizations to give the term a more concise and consistent meaning.
It may be some time before an industry accepted universal definition of natural is provided; however, it is generally recognized that materials derived from renewable and/or sustainable, or otherwise non-fossil fuel sources are considered to be natural. Petrochemicals are derived from fossil fuels and are not considered to be natural. Any derivatives of petrochemicals are not considered to be natural. As such, silicones are not classified as natural, as they are petrochemically derived. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for natural silicone replacements that can be used in lieu of silicones in personal care formulations and which provide to the consumer the advantageous end properties of silicones.